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Kim Hyun-bin

Korea Times Digital Media Reporter

Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.

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Law & Crime

EXPLAINER Unification Church lobbying probe roils Korean politics

An expanding, politically fraught investigation into alleged illicit ties between the Unification Church and Korean politicians has become one of the farthest-reaching influence-peddling scandals in recent years. The widening probe, led by a special prosecution team headed by Min Joong-ki, has drawn in figures from across the political spectrum — including lawmakers from both the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) — and has unexpectedly extended into President Lee Jae Myung’s inner circle. The scandal threatens to disrupt an already delicate political balance, placing mounting pressure on both major parties to demonstrate transparency and distance themselves from the controversial religious organization. At issue are longstanding allegations that senior officials of the Unification Church — officially named the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification — engaged in systematic lobbying by providing money, campaign assistance or gifts to politicians and government officials. Investigators say the allegations span mult

Dec 12, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
[EXPLAINER] Unification Church lobbying probe roils Korean politics
Foreign Affairs

Korea-Africa Foundation, Korea Times to co-host 2025 Africa Week, showcasing culture, sustainability

The Korea-Africa Foundation will co-host 2025 Africa Week with The Korea Times on Dec. 13, offering the public an immersive opportunity to experience Africa’s diverse cultures through music, literature and sustainability-focused programs. The daylong event will run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at S-Factory D Hall in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong area under the theme “Afro Vibes, Heat Seoul.” Organizers said the event aims to broaden the public's understanding of Africa while promoting cooperation between the cultural and creative industries of Korea and African countries. Africa Week has been held annually to provide Koreans with a more comprehensive and balanced perspective on Africa through cultural performances, talk concerts and interactive experiences. This year’s program will feature a combination of Afro live music performances, a book concert and eco-friendly upcycling activities, allowing visitors to engage with African culture in a more accessible and hands-on way. Rwandan artists visiting Korea for the event will perform traditional Rwandan rhythms, known as Gokando. Also appearing

Dec 12, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Korea-Africa Foundation, Korea Times to co-host 2025 Africa Week, showcasing culture, sustainability
Foreign Affairs

Argentina, Uruguay envoys mark Tango Day in Seoul

The ambassadors of Argentina and Uruguay marked Tango Day with a joint cultural celebration in Seoul, Thursday, emphasizing the shared heritage of the Rio de la Plata region and the global resonance of tango as a UNESCO-recognized cultural treasure. Opening the event at the Yongsan Art Hall, Argentinian Ambassador Dario Cesar Celaya Alvarez thanked local organizers for hosting the ceremony. “On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Argentina in Korea, I would like to thank everyone present, Yongsan District and the Korea Tango Cooperative for organizing this event,” he said. The ambassadors highlighted the work of local partners who helped prepare the ceremony. Celaya thanked officials from Yongsan District, the Korea Tango Cooperative and embassy staff for their support. Uruguayan Ambassador Pablo Ernesto Scheiner emphasized the importance of cultural promotion, noting UNESCO’s recognition of more than 600 intangible cultural practices worldwide. “Culture is a living expression that shapes our societies and transmits identity from generation to generation,” he said. The even

Dec 11, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Argentina, Uruguay envoys mark Tango Day in Seoul
Foreign Affairs

ASEAN-Korea Centre hosts 13th connectivity forum

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Korea Centre hosted the 13th ASEAN Connectivity Forum in Seoul on Wednesday, bringing together senior officials and specialists to review the newly adopted ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan (CSP) 2026-2035 and to discuss future directions for ASEAN-Korea cooperation. Opening the forum, Secretary General Kim Jae-shin acknowledged weather-related adversities that had recently affected communities across the region, expressing hopes that support would reach those most in need. He also welcomed delegates and highlighted the significance of the forum as ASEAN and Korea enter a new phase of partnership. Kim noted that ASEAN-Korea relations were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership last year and that a plan of action was adopted to advance priority areas of cooperation. He added that ASEAN leaders had recently endorsed the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 alongside ACSP 2026-2035, underscoring the region’s push toward long-term, sustainable connectivity. He emphasized that ACSP called for approaches that were innovative, people-cente

Dec 10, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
ASEAN-Korea Centre hosts 13th connectivity forum
Foreign Affairs

EU envoy warns of deepening Russia-N. Korea military ties

The European Union is “deeply worried” about North Korea’s expanding military cooperation with Russia, calling it a destabilizing development that threatens the Korean Peninsula and undermines the global sanctions regime, the EU’s new ambassador to Korea said. In an interview with The Korea Times, Ambassador Ugo Astuto said Pyongyang has become one of Moscow’s key allies as Russia’s war against Ukraine drags on, sending ammunition and even personnel in exchange for economic, military and technological assistance. “We are very worried about the strengthened security nexus between Russia and North Korea,” Astuto said. “North Korea is one of the major external enablers of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Through the supply of ammunition and the dispatch of troops, North Korea is sure to receive not just economic aid but also military support.” He warned that such cooperation could accelerate North Korea’s weapons development, noting that the regime is “likely to receive technology that may help its rearmament and possibly proliferation, in violation of U.N. r

Dec 9, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
EU envoy warns of deepening Russia-N. Korea military ties
Foreign Affairs

Thai envoy marks National Day, calls for deeper ties with Korea

Thailand’s ambassador to Korea, Tanee Sangrat, called for deeper bilateral cooperation during a National Day reception in Seoul on Wednesday, noting the growing momentum in the countries’ strategic partnership. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young also addressed the gathering, urging Thailand and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take on a larger role in supporting peace on the Korean Peninsula. The event commemorated Thailand’s National Day and the birthday anniversary of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, while also honoring the recent passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. Sangrat said Thailand “commemorates the tragic passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, who passed away on Oct. 24,” praising her “tireless work and lifelong dedication to improving the welfare of her people.” He noted her achievements in rural development, water resource management, women’s empowerment, the preservation of traditional Thai fabrics and silk and humanitarian support for refugees in the 1970s. “Her Majesty’s benevolence and grace wi

Dec 4, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Thai envoy marks National Day, calls for deeper ties with Korea
Foreign Affairs

Japanese Embassy hosts awards ceremony for 12th Korea-Japan Photo Contest

The Japanese Embassy in Seoul hosted an awards ceremony on Nov. 28 for the 12th Korea-Japan Photo Contest, a cultural initiative marking the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Launched in 2014, the annual contest aims to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges and encourage tourism between Korea and Japan. This year’s edition was held as an official commemorative project for the 60th anniversary, inviting submissions that captured the appeal of both countries or depicted moments of friendship and exchange from 1965 to 2025. The two neighbors marked six decades of normalized relations this year, reflecting on a relationship that has weathered colonial-era grievances, trade tensions and security challenges, but continues to be anchored by robust economic ties and shared democratic values. Both governments have sought to use the anniversary to highlight cooperation in culture, youth exchange, tourism and emerging security issues as they work to stabilize and strengthen bilateral ties. At the ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Korea Ko

Dec 2, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Japanese Embassy hosts awards ceremony for 12th Korea-Japan Photo Contest
Foreign Affairs

Democracies at risk of persistent foreign manipulation, EU official warns

The European Commission’s executive vice president for technology sovereignty, security and democracy has warned that democracies are facing “constant hybrid attacks” from foreign actors and called for closer cooperation with Korea to counter cyberthreats, misinformation and online manipulation. Henna Virkkunen’s remarks come as Korea faces a growing debate over foreign influence online, following an update by X — formerly Twitter — that began displaying users’ access locations. The update revealed that several high-volume political accounts supportive of President Lee Jae Myung had been accessing the platform from China. On Nov. 25, Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the main opposition People Power Party called for mandatory nationality labeling for users posting on Korean online communities, citing public anger over X’s new disclosure feature. The revelation showed that a widely followed account using Lee’s 2022 campaign photo had made more than 65,000 posts critical of the PPP from an IP address traced to China. “This is not just one account,” Joo wrote on Facebook. “It is

Dec 1, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Democracies at risk of persistent foreign manipulation, EU official warns
Society

Korea Cyber University to launch AI-driven graduate schools in 2026

Korea Cyber University said it will launch a new graduate school and a business school in 2026, becoming the first domestic cyber university to operate an integrated master’s–Ph.D. program and an artificial intelligence (AI)-based professional MBA. The school said it received approval from the Ministry of Education to open a full graduate program system, converting its existing convergence information graduate school to a general graduate school and adding a business school that incorporates artificial intelligence and big data training into a traditional MBA framework. The expansion marks a shift toward a research-oriented model for the online institution, enabling students from diverse academic and professional backgrounds to participate in graduate-level research without geographic limitations. The general graduate school will focus on “AI and big-data-driven solutions to social issues,” offering a major in convergence information studies with tracks in data-science convergence, AI business convergence and human-science convergence. Students will take foundational courses suc

Nov 30, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Korea Cyber University to launch AI-driven graduate schools in 2026
Politics

On first visit to NIS, president hails agents help in tackling Southeast Asian crime

In his first visit to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) since taking office in June, President Lee Jae Myung urged the agency to move beyond its legacy of political interference and sharpen its public safety mandate, praising agents for helping dismantle Southeast Asian crime networks and aiding major drug trafficking crackdowns. Presidential spokeswoman Kang Yu-jung said Lee chose the NIS for his first official policy briefing to signal that the agency must “reflect on past wrongs and continue reform so it can serve the nation and its people.” Kang noted that while the NIS has long been drawn into political controversies as an instrument of state power, it has not engaged in actions such as insurrection — a reference to the failed martial law declaration by former President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024. Lee, she added, stressed that the agency should now focus its capabilities squarely on public protection. “The government will support the NIS so it can fully utilize its capabilities for public safety and national defense,” she said. Lee praised the agency for assistin

Nov 28, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
On first visit to NIS, president hails agents help in tackling Southeast Asian crime
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